


Object of Desire

by Waanderlust



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Exhibitionism, M/M, Porn, Strippers & Strip Clubs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2013-11-11
Packaged: 2018-01-01 04:43:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1040466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waanderlust/pseuds/Waanderlust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin's boss is a prat. A posh, conservative, rich, stuck-up (but handsome as hell) prat. So why the hell is Arthur Pendragon moonlighting at the local strip club? Or is Merlin imagining things?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Object of Desire

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Merlin Sexstars Fest, based on prompt #18 by  
> fuckyeah/ aka La_Temperanza. Big thanks to Claudine and sp_owl for the plot beta and wasp for the SPaG and Britpick.

 

"What? _This_  is the strip club you're taking me to? "

Merlin dubiously eyed the very normal-looking facade proclaiming "Albion". Equally ordinary looking patrons were strolling in.

"Exotic dance, if you please!" Will said breezily, steering Merlin through the door."What? Did you think it would have naked people dancing in glass windows out front?"

"Er.. Yes? Like in Amsterdam! When we went..."

" ...yeah, on your school trip after your GCSEs? That was how many years ago? No, no, now it's cool to be low-key. You're lucky you've got me to show you the ropes!"

They went past a gaggle of girls at the coat check. "You'll have a good time, mate. Have I ever failed you? No... Don't answer that." Will grinned and waved an airy hand. "This will take your mind off work and that boss you've been complaining about all night."

They emerged through the passage into a whirl of heavy beats and flashing lights. 

"You happy now?" Wills mouthed. 

Well. It looked like a regular dance place. Merlin had expected to see collars, leather gear and goths, but everyone looked like they were at any old gig. There were even suited businessman types. Good thing Merlin hadn't made any special effort to dress up for his first visit to the local strip club.

Will passed him a glass. "It's on me, pal! Here's to you moving into the area! "

"Cheers!" Merlin really was grateful; grateful for his new job, for the flat-share with Will his old friend who had been in London a year already. They happily chugged.  

Any annoyance at Merlin's boss washed down with the drinks. This was the most relaxed he'd been all week. Yes, this was the life! He was finally moving up on the world. How and why going to a strip joint indicated upward mobility wasn't important at all- it just seemed right that it was. 

Will nudged him and pointed up. There were shadows on the balconies running around the club. Oh yes, the strippers, er, exotic dancers, right!

Even with the patchy lighting, it was exciting to be near actual strippers.The girls flipped their long hair and shimmied. The male dancers preened and flexed, swaying with easy grace. Fleshy bums in white briefs glowed alluringly, and Merlin was in a happy place. 

Merlin was happier still when the stage act started. 

Two males dancers wearing a smattering of armour strode onto the stage; Merlin added armour-clad oiled chests to his list of kinks immediately. He imagined himself purring around the males and reaching for leather straps securing the armour instead of the female dancers who had appeared. Never mind that he had two left feet in real life. 

Red cloaks billowed as the dancers strutted and slid over each other. Playfully, the dark man reeled his partner in and dipped her. Another pair's dirty dancing involved plenty of thrusting. Yes, Merlin felt thrilled to be in the big city getting some action.  

"Not bad, right? They've got the moves you know, not just showing off their bits and bobs, this lot," Will nodded. "What? Be patient! They can't be flinging their clothes off immediately."   

"They can't? Isn't that sort of the point?" Merlin smirked. 

Something made him turn and look up the balcony over Will's head. The male dancer there was staring at the stage as he moved and touched himself. He looked nicely muscled and his broad shoulders rolled back as he stretched to full length.

Merlin shook his head. He must be dreaming. 

It was pure chance that Merlin was looking upwards again when the house lights flickered on. Mr Muscled was suddenly illuminated in relief throwing his head back in mirth, a blond shock of hair atop Greek god profile.  Merlin caught a snatch of a hearty belly laugh.  

Wait. That sounded familiar. That looked like... 

Next to him, Will was clapping heartily. "Hey, you're looking the wrong way, mate. Look, their cloaks are off and the birds look fine!" 

Merlin was definitely imagining things. "Uh, yeah." 

Could it be? It couldn't be? London must have countless blond-haired, blue-eyed boys with chiselled jawlines and aquiline noses. How odd that Mr Muscled looked a lot like his boss, a certain Mr Arthur Pendragon, prat extraordinaire and all-round gorgeous rich boy. 

****

The night became a little surreal, but Merlin was still in a pleasantly aroused mood. He had stopped watching the stage act — they was all girls anyway — and turned all his attention upwards. Blond-wards, to be specific. 

Later in the evening, everyone stepped it up. On the balcony, the girls teased their bikini suits this way and that, and the men palmed themselves. 

The Arthur lookalike started pulling the waistband of his white briefs, then dipped his hand in and out. Merlin resisted the urge to do the same, with some difficulty.  

The balconies were just above head height, and customers could reach up to tip the dancers. Mr Muscled had a few appreciative whistles and bills proffered as he worked his stretch of the ledge. By now, Merlin felt cross-eyed, and cheered the better view when Mr Muscled walked further away.

This meant he had an proper eyeful when the blond dipped his waistband and stroked himself openly. The dancer's cock was semi-erect, and he had quite a package. He teasingly pulled his briefs up and down, laughed and did it again when waves of wolf whistles and tips ensued. 

Merlin squinted harder. No way that could be his boss. There was a superficial resemblance, but the whole demeanour and manner of the dancer was different. He was carefree and smooth, unlike uptight, stuffy Arthur. Right? Right.

He had to tell Will. 

"Hey, Will – you'll never believe it. That dancer behind you looks a lot like my boss." 

"Aw Merlin will you stop it? You've been yammering on about him all through dinner, and now you're seeing him here too?" Will didn't even bother to look.

"Am not obsessed." muttered Merlin. "Just thought it was funny, is all."

"Yeah, hilarious. Oy, we should take a picture!"

"What? No — give it back!"

That was how Merlin ended up with a greyish photo on his camera phone, courtesy of Will, of one blond dancer (sans legs and tilted at a wonky angle).

***

"Sorry, hold the lift please!"

Merlin hurtled into the lift as the doors closed, straight into the disapproving stares of the people inside. Including a pair of cold blue eyes.

"Late again, Mer-lin?" asked Arthur. 

"Umm..." Merlin's golden rule was not to say anything if he couldn't say something good. 

When they emerged on the same floor, Arthur turned to him. "Perhaps it was fortuitous to see you. Go and get me a cup of cocoa from the shop next to the Tube station — with cinnamon and chocolate shavings on top."

Merlin glared." I. Am. Not. A tea lady! Look, I'm sorry I gave you that mocha drink last week, how was I to know? Who is allergic to caffeine, anyway?"

"I am, apparently, it must be the special evolution of my genes to reject a poison that accelerates your whole system and increases your heart-rate." Arthur dryly. He stood taller, hand on hip. "Also I'm your boss, so your job is what I say it is."

"But the Tube is miles away!"

"Don't exaggerate, Merlin. The walk will do you good." 

"In this heat?" 

"Sunshine supplies vitamin D, didn't you learn that at school? Now, hurry up, those newspapers won't read themselves."

Merlin glowered as Arthur turned away. "Just aggregate the bloody news on the computer!" He yelled. The receding figure shrugged broad shoulders and waved mockingly backwards. Even his frustration didn't distract Merlin from eyeing the cut of Arthur's suit. Those pants did fit his bum beautifully.

He stared a little more and punched the down button.

Whoever said beauty wasn't skin deep hadn't met Arthur Pendragon. His angelic good looks had clearly made him Top Bachelor of the Year (3 years in a row), but he was prickly and hell to deal with. Why didn't anyone else see that? 

Golden Boy Arthur and Pasty White Merlin the Meek had clashed on his first day of work, when Merlin discovered he didn't stay meek in the face of a bullying idiot. How was he to know the bully he'd saved an intern from was in fact his boss? His feeble apology and offer to get Arthur a drink might have worked;  _might_ have, if Merlin hadn't assumed mocha and cocoa were one and the same.

After Arthur recovered from the resulting rashes and nausea (caffeine allergy? really?), they then locked horns before lunchtime over the use of computer software to analyse data ("You are so old-fashioned!""It's called being careful! Computers can't replace humans!")

By the end of the day, Arthur's PA Gwen and Merlin's team-mate Leon colluded to keep them physically as far apart as possible. Their shouting matches were scaring the rest of the staff, and Arthur kept threatening to fire Merlin for insubordination.("Honestly, Merlin, you are the worst staff ever!""Yeah? Well, you're the worst boss ever!" "Boys, you are not five year olds!")

It was agreed that Leon act as the go in-between for Merlin and Arthur in work matters. Merlin didn't need to see Arthur face to face, and all his emails were routed through Leon.

Peace prevailed for the rest of the week. Until now. 

Merlin returned from the Cocoa Quest dripping in sweat and headed for Gwen's desk to route the drink through her. She wasn't there, and he grouchily debated the merits of waiting before he realised why. Nobody was there. They were all at the weekly Monday department meeting, oh crap!

He had forgotten as he'd been with HR last week at this time last week. "This sucks." He hissed as he hauled himself to the meeting room, crept conspicuously in, received dirty looks from Arthur when handing him his drink, and slunk into a squeaky chair.

He sourly noted that Arthur didn't even touch the cocoa. Prat. 

*** 

Will wasn't the man-about-town he claimed to be. He didn't even know Albion had different nights for different clienteles. 

"You're the one who wanted to come," said Merlin, rubbing it in. "You said it was a more intimate setting, we could get up close and..."

"I didn't realise it's bloody gay male stripper night," hissed Will, squirming in his seat. "It's all right for you, but I don't want to see guys' junk!"

"Come on, Will, we're inside already. I'll get the rounds tonight, and we'll come again on the Ladies Galore Night? Just  — er— look away from the bits you don't want to see."

This time, they were seated at the small tables close to the stage. The lights flared, signaling the start of the act. It was the milder first act of the night. Even so, Will made a face when a male dancer walked on, and scrambled away, mumbling to Merlin that he'd be at the bar.  

"Aww, Will! It's alright, he's got clothes on!" 

Actually, too many clothes for Merlin's taste. There were trousers — to be flung off soon? — and a high-collared red leather jacket. The dancer lifted up one side of the jacket and then the another, and Merlin was reminded of a sportsman's muscular grace. He seemed a little stiffer than the previous dancers but ah, yes, he was more athletic and stronger as well. 

Merlin couldn't tell if this was the Arthur lookalike from before as a mask was in place. He was blonde too and there was an uncanny resemblance. Luckily, the mask didn't cover his immensely lickable jawline and pouty red lips. The dancer was mostly looking down so Merlin couldn't see his eyes.  

When the jacket was shrugged off, Merlin clocked toned biceps circled with tattoos. Ah. This couldn't be Arthur then, his brain tried to say. The rest of his body didn't think this was important and went right back to admiring glorious nipples. 

The blond moved slow and loose, pulsing to the music, making it look like it was the easiest and most natural thing in the world to pull one's trousers off with a quick tug. 

He stroked himself up and down, and then bent into a crouch. Leaning back, he fondled his crotch and half-turned to show that divine arse. Wow. Merlin didn't know whether to look at his bum or his bulge — all the curves were crying for his attention. So was his own cock. 

When he turned back fully, the line of buttock peaking out under his briefs leapt out at Merlin. He imagined tracing that curve and sliding into the fabric, and swallowed hard.  

The blond's large hands stroked his neck, his sides, his hips and his thighs. He ran through his hair — mmm, that hair looked really soft — and bounced back on the balls of his feet. He was panting now, chest heaving. Merlin's body twitched — it clearly approved the visible evidence of exertion, and wanted more.

The crowd kept shouting for him to take his briefs off, but the dancer seemed disinclined to do so. He smirked suddenly, jolting Merlin out of his haze. That looked like Arthur's irritating sneer, but —? Merlin pursed his lips and frowned.

The moment was gone when the dancer turned, bent over, spread his cheeks daringly and swayed more in that upside down position.Merlin gasped. The hotness was too much for his feeble mind. All the blood rushed to his groin. 

Finally, the blond danced slow and easy, hugging himself in an intimate and sensual gesture. The music trailed to an end and he stilled with his back to the audience, hands cupping his ass. 

All the while, cash was being flung onto the stage by the riotous crowd. Merlin was too addled to shout anything; he could barely focus enough adjust his jeans. He stared at that backside as the dancer retreated backstage, never turning around. The whole thing had a strange déjà vu feel. 

By the time he recovered his senses, Will was back and pulling him out of there. "Is it safe now? Quick, let's leave before more naked male bums appear!" 

*** 

This time, Merlin was early for the departmental meeting. He plonked down his cup to mark his territory in a suitably obscure seat around the massive table.

He hadn't counted on Arthur taking the chair directly across from him.

"Don't you usually sit at the head of the table?" Merlin blurted when Arthur sauntered in and unloaded all his files. 

"I sit wherever I want to, Merlin." Arthur stacked his files and arranged his pencils neatly. Nary a tablet or iPad in sight, that old- school dinosaur! "I heard from Leon that your work is very useful to his team."

Merlin wasn't sure what to say. "Is that worth commenting on? You don't have to sound so surprised about it," he huffed. The best defence was offence. 

The room was starting to fill with people. Arthur looked around, distracted. "Don't be so sensitive, Merlin. I was just trying to —"

Gwen came up and whispered to Arthur, and Merlin didn't get to hear the end of that sentence, for the meeting started.

Ongoing events were reported and exhortations to try to gain the market share from their rivals were repeated — by Arthur, naturally. 

It was just as well Merlin didn't have any reports of his own, because his attention kept wandering.

He had a front row view of Arthur at work, all professional and business-like, so different from the annoying idiot he became when he and Merlin squabbled. Arthur was firm, commanding, encouraging and demanding in turn as the situation required. He could see why Arthur's staff were so loyal.

As the head of the department, Arthur made many of the reports and announcements himself. Merlin imagined this must be the posh voice of a public school boy. Still it was a pleasant enough voice (when Arthur wasn't scolding someone) and his vocals were crisp and sharp, and ...

"Merlin? Mer-lin!" 

And his voice was being crisply and sharply called right now.

"Yes, yes," he said hurriedly, his gaze snapping up to meet Arthur's. "Yes, fine, I heard you." 

"I'm sure you did," Arthur said. "And your answer would be?"

"I'll have it for you as soon as possible." 

Arthur rolled his eyes,"I said that you're part of the team pitching for that City Firm job. I asked if you had dealt with them before. Really, do try to keep up, Merlin."

"Oh."Merlin didn't dare to ask which firm this was, and just shook "no" to avoid further embarrassment. Mercifully, Arthur let the matter go. Next to Merlin, Leon waggled an eyebrow and pointed at himself indicated that he was in the team as well. 

Merlin turned his attention back to Arthur. Fine, Arthur wanted his attention? He would give it to him. He stared at his boss, bullishly and, he knew, somewhat childishly.

As his thoughts started to wander again, he regarded Arthur's features more thoughtfully. The man could be a model with that bone structure. Look at that smile. That Albion dancer had a great jawline too, and full lips too. Except that Arthur didn't have tattoos. Did he?  

Arthur was always wearing long-sleeved shirts, but they were folded up to the elbows, like today, so any tattoos on the arms would show. Merlin looked carefully — the arms looked a little pink and scrubbed, but no ink there. They were strong veiny arms — where did Arthur get time to work out? 

He startled, realizing he was comparing his boss to the blond dancer again. How predictable was he? Will would laugh at him for having such an obvious type to fixate on.

***

Indeed, Will did laugh at him.

"Merls, I never thought I'd say this, but you should get real."

Merlin looked guiltily up from his laptop with countless tabs open to Arthur Pendragon write-ups and interviews. 

"I'm just doing research! To —um—get to know my boss better? I need to stop thinking once and for all that he's that dancer at Albion!" 

"You KNOW he's not! What earthly reason would he have for being there? Can he even dance? What are the chances? He's rich beyond belief with his family fortune — and I know this because you haven't stopped talking about him in weeks."

Wills flopped down next to him. "You already said Boss-from-Hell-Arthur doesn't have tattoos and that dancer does. So... let it go! It's time I introduced you to more real people — Gilli and the boys are going to the pub tonight and asked us to join them." 

"Yeah," Merlin tried to sound interested. He stared at Arthur's handsome face, talking animatedly on the YouTube clip that he'd set to mute. His countenance was charming and lively. "Yeah, sure. Ok."

*** 

"So, in conclusion, Pendragon Events is best placed to meet your needs." 

Arthur's dulcet tones tapered off. "Well?" he asked Merlin and Leon.

Merlin chewed his lip and debated whether to keep quiet.

Gwen and Leon had very kindly bought him lunch and told him what a wonderful and caring person Arthur was. "I've known Arthur since Uni," said Gwen."He's really a decent person, just a little intense and not the most expressive, but he means well."  

Leon had assented in his quiet voice and told Merlin that his work really complemented Arthur's. "You're good with the creative part and it adds to Arthur's practical approach." Merlin had caved into the onslaught of earnest persuasion, saying,"Guys, he's my boss, not a potential life partner! Alright, I'll make an effort to get along, just to stop it with the Arthur do-gooder stories." 

Debate over. It was no good, Merlin couldn't pretend. He just had to say it. "The presentation is a little boring. All stiff and formal."

He heard Arthur's sharp intake of breath and rushed on before Arthur could cut him off."We're already known for our corporate meetings, but this pitch includes incentive travel, so it needs to be more creative and jazzy."

Time for Merlin to run away. "We can't be like the other cookie-cutter firms." He started to gather his things. "It's late and I need to go. I'll get some ideas together and email you."

" _You_ need to go?" Arthur spluttered. "When did _you_ become the boss?" 

Merlin threw an apologetic glance at Leon as he escaped. No point in staying there and facing Arthur's wrath; much better to let his ideas speak.

True to his word, Merlin stayed glued to his chair till he emailed his ideas with illustrative slides to Arthur and Leon. There, at least now he felt he'd done his part. 

"I thought you had to go?" In his rush to pack for home, Merlin hadn't heard Arthur walk in. He slumped back down. Everybody else had gone. There was no one to save Merlin from a shelling. 

"Oh so now you decide to look meek and defenceless?" Arthur sighed and sat on Merlin's spare chair. "Merlin, listen to me." Merlin was too tired to argue. He just nodded.

"You were right. Don't look so surprised, I agree with you. But for goodness' sake, you could have said it nicely!" 

"I _did_  say it nicely! I offered to help and all! I wasn't rude!"

"Merlin, you called me stiff and boring. Uncreative." Arthur's lips were set in a tight straight line. 

"I said the company image was boring. Not you. Don't take it so personally!"

"Merlin, I am the company, its image is my image. And I am... a little too formal."

"You say that like an old man. You've only got two years on me."

"I've been working on my father's companies since I was 14."

"Gosh. No wonder you're so good."

"Why, is that a compliment, Merlin?" Arthur looked bemused. 

"I meant, good at being a bossy and giving orders!" Merlin back- pedaled. 

"It's what bosses _do, Merlin_. You know? Lead? Leadership?"

"Stop being patronizing with the word play already."

"Wow, patronizing. That's a big word for you," teased Arthur.

"Here, have some more! Supercilious! Lugubrious! Er — ambidextrous!"

"Ambidextrous?" Arthur unexpectedly roared with laughter. " Was that meant to be an insult? Honestly, Merlin, there's something about you!"

"Hey, my brain dried up working on those slides!" Merlin tried to sound indignant, but he couldn't help laughing together with Arthur. Arthur like this was a force of charisma that all his photos and videos had not captured.

Arthur turned serious." Yes, of course. You should go home." 

"It's ok, apology accepted."

"What? That was not an apology! What do I have to apologise for?"

"Shh, it's ok I won't tell." Merlin grinned. He hugged his backpack and fished out his Oyster card pointedly.

Arthur glanced at his watch. "It's late. Do you want a ride?" 

"No, it's out of your way."

"How did you know that?" Arthur wrinkled his brows. 

Because I've been stalking you on the Internet, Merlin thought. Instead he said, "Gwen said you live near her, and she lives near work, so that's the natural conclusion."

"Oh. Where are you, then?"

"North. Near this row of clubs and pubs? The Crown, the Hangar, Albion? Never mind, they're not well known." Did he imagine it or had Arthur's face changed?

"Do you hang out at those places then?"

"Huh? Only if my mates want to." Merlin stood and didn't have to fake his yawn.

"Bye then." Arthur stood too and awkwardly patted Merlin on the shoulder. " See you tomorrow. It'll get better, I'm sure."

 

*** 

Things didn't get better. They got worse. 

Merlin came in the next day to find that Leon was sick. Chicken pox and two weeks' quarantine, Arthur informed him tiredly. 

"What is wrong with this office? Odd allergies and now childhood diseases? Do we need to disinfect his desk, Arthur?" 

"Merlin, I think you have bigger things to worry about. Guess what, this is your lucky day. You are getting an instant promotion."

"Yes, in the work but not in pay." Merlin ducked as Arthur made to throw the file at him. "Oh, all right, give it here! Is that his list of open accounts? Seriously?"  

This was when Merlin found out quiet Leon was a proverbial workhorse; as his cover person, Merlin could barely handle half of Leon's load.

In addition, without Leon, Merlin was forced to work directly with Arthur. This was both amazing and terrifying.  

It was amazing because Merlin grew to realise just now good Arthur was at his work. He was thorough, insightful, fair and could troubleshoot from a mile away. This practicality was tempered by — oh, god, cliché of clichés— a kind and noble heart. Merlin now had his own stories to contribute about Arthur's charitable deeds (but he would never admit this). 

It was terrifying because this new-found respect was accompanied by an uncertainty over their burgeoning partnership. It seemed they were either magnificently good or spectacularly awful in their collaborations, with little middle ground. Poor Gwen had her hands full mediating between them when they were in the awful part of their work relationship. 

All this left Merlin with no time to indulge in his theory of Arthur's secret identity as a stripper. He did, however, find time to stare intently at Arthur while he was meant to be working, under the guise of Thinking Very Hard. 

In reality, his body had switched to Arthur fanboy mode as its default, pining over disembodied body parts. One day's theme would be "Arthur's hair", another would be "Arthur's smile" and, his personal weakness, "Arthur's arse".  

Arthur was aware he was exhausted, so whenever Merlin was caught looking, he pretending to look unseeingly into space in a sleep- deprived coma. In many cases, it wasn't pretending. 

Events hit rock bottom with the pitch to the City Firm ten days later. 

Short of time and over-worked, they didn't have the energy to pad up Merlin's bare ideas into a coherent pitch, and got trounced at the presentation. It was not a pretty sight. 

A dispirited Arthur dragged an equally morose Merlin to the pub immediately after the debacle. 

"They hated us!" moaned Merlin into his glass. 

"Hate is a strong word," Arthur gulped his own drink.

"Ok, I hate them! Oh I am so going clubbing tonight!"

"We're drinking already!" 

"Not a pub! A club! You know... Music? Grooving? Exotic dancers?" 

"What, like belly-dancers complete with magic carpets?" Arthur was annoying coherent still and grinned tolerantly as Merlin kept his cheek plastered on the bar counter.

"Nah, you know, exotic." The tiredness and alcohol was making Merlin reckless. He mock-whispered "Strippers!" and Arthur's face changed. 

Merlin tripped over his words."It's not like that, the acts are quite classy, really. Hey, you should come with Will and me! You can see for yourself." Arthur looked at Merlin, wide-eyed, with an unreadable expression. Was he judging Merlin? Or afraid that Merlin had come too close to his secret life?  

"Come out with us. Come out with me! Tonight! To the Albion!" That would be Merlin's tongue running away with him. Too late to take it back! He didn't need to; Arthur was shaking his head. 

"I... I can't. Not tonight. Another time?"

Merlin pouted. "You're just saying that. You promise?"

"Yes Merlin," Arthur said in a very kind voice. "I do promise you."

They resumed drinking in relative silence. Arthur sat very close to Merlin and kept looking at him. Merlin wondered if he had missed something significant in his alcohol-drenched state. 

****

Emboldened by the same alcohol, Merlin ventured back to Albion that night. Just one more time, he told himself, to get it out of his system. Even Will's refusal to go didn't dissuade him. ("No! What if it's gay night again?")

Against his better judgment, he'd texted Arthur to ask him again to come. He hoped he sounded casual and breezy. Fat hope. He looked around when he stepped in; the place was the rowdiest and busiest he'd seen so far. Coming alone at Albion was both liberating and scary. 

Merlin pushed his way to the front of the stage, and prayed to his lucky stars that his blond dancer would be there. Who cared if it wasn't Arthur, he could fantasize, couldn't he?  

It seemed his lucky stars were listening, because his Mr Muscled was there. Merlin pumped his arm in victory — yes! Finally something was going right!  

Not only was Mr Muscled there, he was looking fine. His thin white tunic was virtually see-through, and his peaked nipples showed. The deep V-neck clung to the swell of his chest; that chest was gently rising and falling as he lay in a huge bed, clutching a pillow. Commando? Merlin hoped so and leaned in for a closer look.  

Tonight, the three dancers' features were obscured by thick face paint. Mr Muscled had white paint over half his face, reminiscent of the Phantom of the Opera mask, running at an angle from one temple to the opposite jaw. Merlin stared at those gorgeous cheekbones and wet his lips before he realised what he was doing. Then he wet them again. 

He hadn't held back on the beer, drinking steadily all the while. 

When the beats began, the dancers rolled in the sheets and hugged their pillows reverently. Mr Muscled jack-knifed into a V repeatedly, causing his tunic to hike up and the neckline to slip down one shoulder. Merlin breathed in deeply and abandoned his beer.  

The blond made a show of tumbling out of bed and swaying to stretch out in a waking-up gesture. He hugged himself coyly, crossed his arms over his body — look at those strong arms, yes, yes, yes —then gripped the edges and peeled off the tunic fluidly. Merlin was so near he could see the nude coloured G-string. Damn, not au natural, then. 

His dancer dropped to his knees and crawled, then arched and straightened his back, pushing his arse out suggestively.  

Merlin didn't care that he appeared like a slack-jawed idiot. He would never look at his Pilates cat-stretch in the same way again. This was so, so fucking hot. 

Then he slid down to lie on his stomach. His chin was on the floor and he seemed to be looking directly at Merlin, but his eyes were distant. He pushed up to a stance and, biting his lip, arched his back in the most x-rated swan stretch ever. Impossibly flexible, he did an obscene split and pushed himself up again. 

Merlin was so turned on his dick was aching, and he alternated between palming himself and rubbing up against the side of the stage. The dancers were really on the crowd's face tonight. In the earlier acts they had never been so brazen. The club's "No Touching" rule only applied one way, it seemed. At this time of the morning, things seemed wild and catcalls filled the air. 

The dancers perched by the edge of the stage, gyrating and teasing. Another dancer beckoned an excited girl onto the stage, making her part of his act. Would his dancer do the same, and pick him? Merlin's heart raced. He felt convinced that his dancer really was Arthur, and Arthur was sure to acknowledge him. 

However, his dancer didn't seem keen to approach, simply hanging back and gazing distractedly into the crowd. 

On a whim, Merlin pushed himself halfway up the stage. He wanted something to happen; he didn't know what. He'd caught his dancer's attention and the blond's gaze fell on him. His dancer drew closer and hesitated. Then he drew back.

"No!!" Merlin shouted. "Don't go!"

Blue eyes looked at him, then darted away. The dancer continued swaying but didn't move forward.  

Bitter disappointment burnt in Merlin.

"Please!" He shouted in frustration. "It _is_ you, isn't it?" He tried to push himself up the stage again, and slipped in his excitement. He would have fallen, if a pair of strong hands had not pulled him up onto the stage.

Disoriented, Merlin almost fell sideways. A broad and naked back pushed him upright, and as his vision cleared, muscular thighs hovered in front of him.  

His dancer seemed to have gained a second wind, circling and swinging his legs over Merlin's head before wiggling his groin right in his face. The G-string offered little support and was so skimpy it left nothing to the imagination. Merlin felt giddy with emotion. He couldn't keep his eyes off that bulging G-string as it veered this way and that, tantalizingly close.  

The crowd shouted even louder, and Merlin registered mad flailing and waving of hands. Their chaotic groping meant Merlin got whacked as well, seated where he was. He didn't care though, so fixated was he on agile legs and a tiny piece of fabric. His dancer went to his knees and slid towards Merlin. Oh god, he was _just_ behind him!  

Merlin flinched at a sudden contact, thinking that an errant customer had hit him. But it was his dancer, clasping Merlin's arms from behind, his chest next to Merlin's back. "What? Hey!" Merlin stuttered. Was he...was he stroking Merlin's upper arms? What happened to the no touching rule? Oh, right, only one way. 

His dancer shuffled even closer, and Merlin's mind was chanting ARTHUR Arthur Arthur Arthur. Any closer and...  

"Don't worry, I've got you." Arthur whispered into Merlin's ear from a crouching position. Merlin twisted around. He looked at the blue eyes, accentuated by that white paint, then down, then up again. "Is it you?" His mouth wouldn't function and he just wanted to press himself into the warm body.  

Arthur winked at him. "Just relax and enjoy this," he said. Then his face shifted and he frowned in a familiar action." You're ok right? You want this? Or I can back off...?" 

"No, no! Keep...keep doing it, god, no don't stop!" Merlin leant back fiercely. Now that he was sure it was Arthur, he badly wanted this.  

"Good." Arthur grunted and pressed forward, pushing his erection directly into Merlin's back.  

Oh the bliss! He rubbed it sensually backed and forth and Merlin was embarrassed to feel his shoulders roll back in pleasure, tracking the movement of that hardness.  

"Can I touch you?" a voice breathed into his ear. Merlin nodded frantically, and the weight lifted off Merlin's arms and onto his torso. Up and down, in long soothing strokes, his dancer pressed clever hands to Merlin's flank, hands and groin moving in sync.  

If Merlin hadn't been pinned so tightly on his sides and back, he might have collapsed from the over-stimulation. The crowd, the lights, the noise, the touching, the pressure on his shoulders. "Oh my god oh my god oh my god," he gasped, tight with pleasure. He wanted to grab Arthur's hands, but he didn't dare. 

The music changed and Merlin felt Arthur shift back. "Don't stop," Merlin mumbled, but the hands blanketed him (god, his hands were so large), swept down Merlin's chest slowly, and then pulled away. 

The loss of contact seemed to burst a cocoon and the din of the crowd rushed into Merlin's consciousness. The sudden loss of touch was jarring and his face must have twisted, because Arthur leant in for the final time and murmured, "Don't go. I'll look for you later." 

Then he was no longer there.  

Merlin gave up trying to seem in control and flopped down, spinning around so he could look back at the stage.  

The act was winding down. The dancers regrouped in the big bed and stretched their away into pretend slumber. They slung a leg suggestively over their pillows, and thrust their hips hard. 

The music stopped. The house lights flashed once, and then the dancers were gone. The catcalls gradually faded away.  

Merlin lay dazed on the stage, wondering what had just happened. Was this how Christine felt when the Phantom came and went in her life? He laughed as he wondered the irony of comparing himself to a fictional character in a bloody musical. 

He didn't feel like moving and no one seemed to mind, so he just stayed there in an odd state of calm and sleepiness. In one snatch of lucidity, he thought, "Arthur". 

**** 

He came to with a start on hearing his name. "Merlin?" 

Was he hallucinating now? He blinked. "Merlin, are you alright? It's me."

Not too bad a dream then. Even the accent was right. The visuals matched too. 

Arthur's concerned face appeared. Warm hands helped him upright. "Merlin, where are your friends?" 

Merlin shook his head "Came alone. Will didn't want..." 

"Alone? Oh, Merlin." Arthur pulled Merlin up, supporting him by the waist, and led him to sit in a quiet area. There was water for him and a proper sofa. Merlin leaned into the reassuring presence and tried to focus.  

"You were dancing with me, right, Arthur?" Merlin asked haltingly. The hold on his waist tightened. "Fuck, was it not you? I don't know, it's so confusing."

"God, I didn't realise you were so wasted. I shouldn't have...Never mind. I'm here, Merlin, and I'm real. It's Arthur. Ok?" 

"But was that you just now? I want to know." Merlin now. "First it looked like you, then it wasn't because you don't have tattoos, and now it's you again." 

"I— I was going to tell you. Maybe this isn't the best time."

"Time? Yes or no, just say yes or no. Won't take much time." Merlin was tired. He turned his back to Arthur, and threaded his fingers though Arthur's hand on his waist. "Is it easier if I don't look at you? I promise I"ll keep your secret." 

Merlin stilled as Arthur traced his ribs and stroked his chest. Why wasn't Arthur saying anything? 

Merlin went on, wanting to help. "I'll tell you a secret too, that's fair right? But I asked first, so you tell me first?" Their position was so reminiscent of what happened on stage, it made him ache. He waited.  

"I can't say no to you when you're like that. " Arthur sighed. Finally. "Yes, it was me. Yes, I was dancing with you just now. I thought — I thought you knew? That's why you asked me here tonight, and then you called out to me? I wouldn't have done that with anyone else, you know." 

Relief blossomed and Merlin's heart leapt. "So I was right! I wasn't sure. Will laughed at me! Said I was just seeing things, that I'd been with you too much at work and was obsessing."  

Arthur's hand moved up to Merlin's collarbones and continued stroking. "You were obsessing over me, Merlin? How interesting, hmm..." 

"The last time I saw you dance, you had tattoos, so I thought I was wrong." 

"Ah. Stick-on tattoos. They're like a kind of body art, and part of the costume. How many times have you come here? It sounds like you've seen me dozens of times." 

"Came three times, saw you three times." 

"That's a 100 percent hit rate." 

"Yes, it must be destiny." Merlin said somewhat smugly. He was in a cloud of happiness. "The first time you were on that balcony thing." 

"The platform? That was last month. You recognized me? I didn't bother with a mask or paint, I didn't think anyone could see." 

"It was a fluke." Merlin paused. "Can I turn around now that you've spilled this deep dark secret?" The tone of the conversation had lifted somewhat and he wanted to see Arthur's face. 

"You want to run away now? I don't know, I quite like you like this." Arthur gripped Merlin possessively. Merlin glanced back but didn't resist. "So, what about your secret?"

"My secret? When I was six, I wanted to be a character from Power Rangers." 

"You what?" Merlin felt Arthur's chuckles. "That isn't counted! I told you a big secret! Play fair! " 

"I can tie a cherry stem with my tongue?" 

"Merlin!" 

Merlin grinned, and spun around to face Arthur directly. "I have a thing for blond-haired, blue-eyed men who dance like sex on legs. Is that good enough?"  

Arthur looked back at him, his eyes startling bright. His face was soft, but his voice tight when he said,"Is that even a secret?"  

"You knew that already?" Merlin looked around to check that they had their quiet area to themselves. "You know I like one particular dancer? It was a tough fight between him and this guy from work." He held onto Arthur's shoulders for balance, and swung his legs so that he was sitting on Arthur's lap, straddling him. He looped his hands behind Arthur's neck and rubbed his forehead on Arthur's soft fringe.  

Merlin pressed on, nerves mingled with boldness, "It was a tough call, the dancer was so sexy and had a great body, and the office guy was all commanding and masterful." Merlin ducked his head so that his lips were hovering over Arthur's. "Luckily for me, I didn't need to choose." 

Merlin waited a heartbeat. "I just didn't know if he would choose me," he whispered, suddenly shy.  

In answer, Arthur closed the distance, and kissed Merlin. 

It was a quick, warm kiss and Merlin wanted more. He tried to lean in and ended up rolling his body into Arthur's, pressing their groins together. The pressure was electrifying. 

Arthur groaned softly. "Not here, Merlin. I didn't want to do this here." 

"Umm, my place isn't far?"  

"God, yes! " There was a flurry of limbs as they untangled themselves.  

Arthur said wonderingly, "How come we're in a strip club, I'm the — er — dancer, and YOU're the one that ends up giving me a lap dance?"  

Merlin grabbed Arthur for support as they stood up. "Well, you know, good help is so hard to find these days. You have to do everything yourself."  

"You're so ridiculous, Merlin," Arthur laughed.   

"I know right? It's like, I don't recall applying for a cashier's job, and there I am bagging groceries. I'm a paying customer here, you know."  

"It wasn't bad for an amateur."  

"What, the bagging or the dancing?"  

"You should have been a comic, you idiot!" Arthur kissed Merlin's hair. 

"You think I have a future? A wise-cracking dancer at your supermarket checkout? G-string optional." 

"You can put that in your résumé. HR will be most impressed." 

They fell silent at this reminder of the real world as they exited the club. Arthur squeezed his hand. Merlin moved closer and squeezed back.

"Is it — is this — going to be an issue at work?" Merlin asked in a subdued tone. "I mean, that's if we're, like continuing. I mean, if you want a hook up, I don't mind too, I mean... God, what _do_ I mean?"  

"I'd like to continue if you would."

Merlin gave Arthur his "Are you kidding of course I do" face and he seemed to understand, because Arthur went on, "There's no policy against it, although for practical reasons it's best you don't report directly to me. Since you go through Leon now anyway, it's perfectly fine."  

"Leon! Yes, that's when he's around!" 

"He couldn't help the chicken pox, Merlin. Right, is this you?"  

***

They tumbled into Merlin's flat, breaking the still of the night. Merlin almost fell over when the door lurched open, because Arthur's warm breath was on his neck, Arthur was kneading his bum, Arthur was here, Arthur wanted him, and ... just ARTHUR.  

Merlin pulled them into his room, onto his bed and asked tongue-in-cheek, "Would the professional like to take over the lap dancing?" He started chucking his clothes.  

"No, you need to practice your technique." Arthur sounded teasing but his hungry look made Merlin's cheeks heat. "Anyway, I don't do lap dances. I just do the acts."  

"Very hot acts they were too." Merlin fingered Arthur's coat buttons, and undid them when Arthur nodded.  

"If I'd known how well you would take it, I would have told you from the start."  

"I would still have thought you a cabbage-head. With a peachy arse." 

Merlin's reached Arthur's tee-shirt by now, and he was shaking, giddy with anticipation. He groped Arthur's bum for emphasis and Arthur felt  _so good._  

"Can you stop the fruit and vegetable analogies? I'm trying to ravish you."  

"You are? What a piss-poor job you're doing. Who's doing all the work here?"

There, finally bare skin. Arthur's chest was muscular and taut, and Merlin couldn't wait any longer. He slid his hands up and down that chest, still slick and oily from the earlier dance.  

Arthur rolled his eyes and clapped a hand onto Merlin's mouth. "I think, Merlin, that there's been enough talking and warming up tonight." He flipped them and sat on Merlin's hips.  

Merlin lay back in bliss as Arthur kissed him, kissed his collarbones, the side of his neck, along his jaw, then finally on the mouth. It was like flying, a heady sensation with all his attention focused on the feel of Arthur's mouth.  

He arched into the sensation of their bodies sliding over each other, Arthur's strong thighs pressing down on him. Merlin slipped his own hand between them and stroked himself until he couldn't bear it any longer. "Clothes. Off!" he murmured.  

Arthur grunted in agreement and there was a chaotic struggle to pull their trousers away, punctuated by breathless, slightly awkward laughter. Merlin was more than happy to clamber below Arthur again, to look up at that handsome face, now red with exertion.  

He gave his cock a little tug and sighed with relief, then did the same to Arthur. Arthur cock was hard and thick, and his eyes darkened as Merlin took them both in hand, squeezing and stroking. Arthur panted, wetly kissing Merlin in any part of his face he could reach and Merlin was too gone to be embarrassed by his own huffs of pleasure.  

When his balls tightened, Merlin nosed Arthur urgently. "I'm close." He nodded towards his bedside drawer. "If you want to do more, I have to get stuff?"  

Arthur nodded wildly and pulled the drawer open. Merlin flung out an arm and scrabbled till he found the bottle and packets. He passed them to Arthur, who tore a packet open and looked in askance at him.  

Merlin shrugged, and remembering the feel of Arthur's cock along his back on the stage, took the condom and helped Arthur put it on. "I bet it'll feel even better inside me." Merlin said huskily.  

Arthur adjusted himself. "Like this? Or you want to turn?"  

Merlin shook his head. "Like this, I want to see as much of your face as possible." He stroked Arthur with one hand and his own chest with the other. 

"You are so hot, Merlin." Arthur said. " All pale, long, lean." He played with Merlin's nipples lovingly. "So fucking sexy." 

"You too," Merlin switched to playing with Arthur's nipples instead. "Gorgeous, pretty, handsome..." 

"Pretty? I'm not a girl, Merlin."

"Lovely, beautiful..." 

Arthur surged and kissed Merlin fiercely, then slathered lube over Merlin's hole. Merlin lifted his hips encouragingly. "I don't need much prep, I've been so turned on all night. Oh God, Arthur, that stunt you pulled on the stage!"

Arthur ignored him and gently prepared him with one, then two fingers. 

"Arthur, I said..." 

"So impatient, I heard you." Arthur added a third finger, and kept twisting and adding lube. 

"It'll be dawn by the time we're done, at this rate. Hurry up." Merlin twisted and flailed."Please?" 

Please was the magic word indeed, for Arthur finally, finally released his fingers, and teased Merlin's hole with his cockhead. He rubbed it there a few times, then eased in. 

Merlin clutched the sheets and gasped at the sensation of being breached. "Oh yes oh yes oh yes, Arthur, YES!" Arthur pushed in all the way, paused, then began to move. Merlin's world narrowed down to Arthur's face and the glorious stretch in his intimate parts. 

They both didn't last long, fraught with the exhaustion of the long day and the events of the night. In a no-nonsense way, Arthur brought them both to the edge and right over it, until they were frantically rutting and heaving with sweat. 

When Arthur pulled out, Merlin made a small sound. He didn't bother to wrench his arm away before a rather heavy Arthur collapsed next to him and onto the arm. 

When he started to lose feeling in that arm, Merlin made feeble attempts to shift. "Oi." 

Arthur just rolled on top of him instead. "Oi!" Merlin said more loudly. "You're crushing me." Arthur promptly flipped them so Merlin was on top of him. 

Since Merlin was the first to complain about being sticky, he ended up getting the towels. He sat next to a prone Arthur and wiped him up. 

"Aren't you going to ask me why I do it? You don't seem surprised." 

Merlin shrugged. " Why do any of us do anything? It's fun and we like it? " 

He used a clean part of the towel to wipe Arthur's neck and face. He liked how Arthur was looking at him. It made his heart do funny things and his stomach flutter. 

"I got dared to do it for a fundraiser in Uni, discovered I wasn't too bad and quite liked it. When work got worse, I found doing it made me feel better." Arthur peered at him through a sticky blond fringe. 

"Well I didn't think it was for the money. Does anyone else know?" Merlin traced patterns on Arthur's breastbone, dipping between those slabs of muscle. 

"I give the money away. Only the club owner, and some of the dancers. They go back with me some ways, from when I came in to learn how to do a dance properly." 

Merlin rolled his eyes. "You _would_ get all competitive and do research even for this." He started, "Oh my god, that means I can't tell Will? This is going to KILL me, that I was right all along!" 

"No for fuck's sake, don't tell your friends!" Arthur growled. He reached out to cup Merlin's chin. "I'm usually pretty careful. You just got very lucky, Merlin, to find me out." 

"I believe it's you that was lucky to be found out." Merlin dropped the washcloth onto the floor and bent down to kiss Arthur again. 

****

 "Thank fuck you're back Leon!" Merlin exclaimed. He flung up his arms in relief and welcome till he remembered. " Umm, it's safe to touch you now? " 

"Why, nice to see you too, Merlin," said Leon dryly. "Yes, the doctor's cleared me, so it's business as usual. Anything exciting happened when I was away?" 

Gwen appeared at their door and exchanged a look with Leon. 

"Nothing much happened, except me drowning in your accounts, us losing that City Firm pitch, Accounts blasting me for screwing up those time sheets, and two uneventful events." Merlin shrugged. 

"What's an uneventful event?" Gwen asked. 

"That means nothing fucked up," laughed Leon, nodding knowingly. "Were there other eventful events that occurred? Significant, personal events?" 

Arthur stepped into their area just then. "Leon! Welcome back!" 

"Here's my significant personal event now," beamed Merlin. 

Arthur cleared his throat. Leon cocked an eyebrow. Gwen laughed softly. 

Merlin grinned happily at all of them and thought that maybe becoming a proper adult wasn't that bad after all. 

========

 

FIN.

 

 


End file.
